In the framework of the DemCom Project “Fighting Corruption in the Higher Education System”, the U.S. Embassy Youth Council in Albania, in collaboration with the Center for Legal and Civic Initiatives, organised meetings with focus groups from five Faculties in the University of Tirana.
In the Faculty of Law, around 50 students participated and showed their interest in the fight against corruption. The main purpose of the meeting was to introduce the students to the DemCom Project and to give them the possibility to express their views and concerns regarding corruption in the higher education system.
The meeting was organised in three parts. In the first part, Prof. Dr. Aurela Anastasi held an open discussion with the students. This discussion was mainly focused on the legal aspects of fighting corruption in Albania, starting with the proposed constitutional amendments that aim to fight corruption in all the legal framework. Special attention was paid to the analysis of the legal package on Legal Higher Education, which aims the growth of transparency and the amelioration of the evaluation quality.
In the second part of the meeting, the President of the U.S. Embassy Youth Council in Albania explained to the students the phases and purposes of the “Fighting Corruption in the Higher Education System” project. They were informed on the negative aspects of corruption in the higher education and how it affects them and the future of their country. The discussion was also focused on the instruments which allow students to denounce corruption, such as the Code of Ethics of the University of Tirana, the Statute and the Law on Higher Education.
In the last part of the meeting, the students were given space to discuss about corruption and lack of transparency in their Faculty. Through a simple game, they were introduced to several situations involving corruption in its different forms and they were asked to improvise their reactions face to these situations.
The staff of the U.S. Embassy Youth Council in Albania, through different quotes and pictures, reemphasized the importance of the active involvement of students in the fight against corruption in the higher education system. This activity was also reflected on Facebook.
